the 4th Division and came into touch with
the enemy. The latter, consisting of two Cavalry Divisions with some
Jaeger (Rifle) Battalions, and at least one Division of the XIX Corps,
were fighting a rearguard action until such time as they should be
reinforced. The character of the advance may be illustrated by an
incident on the 14th October, when a platoon of the 1st R.F. (of the
Reserve Brigade) was detailed to rescue General Keir's car, which had
run into snipers near Merris. Fortunately the G.O.C. was not in it.
The reinforcement by the enemy occurred on the 20th October, on which
date began the Battle of Ypres-Armentieres, generally called the First
Battle of Ypres. As far as the Division was concerned this took place
on the western portion of the ridge between Armentieres and Lille, and
resulted in the Division being forced back from the line
Preniesques-Radinghem (almost on top of the ridge) to the low ground
Rue du Bois-La Boutillerie after very fierce continuous fighting from
20th to 31st October, in which the Division suffered nearly 4,000
casualties. To revert, on 13th October the III Corps advanced with the
4th Division on the left and the 6th Division on the right. An action
took place on the line of the Meteren Brook, commencing at 1 p.m. and
continuing till dark, when the 17th and 18th Infantry Brigades had
captured Meteren and Bailleul with about 400 casualties. Pushing
forward, the 17th Infantry Brigade crossed the River Lys at Bac St.
Maur, and the 18th Infantry Brigade at Sailly on the night 15/16th
October, and approached on the 17th the ridge west of Lille, where the
enemy were reported to be entrenched. The 16th Infantry Brigade now
rejoined the Division from the Aisne, and on the 18th October a
reconnaissance in force was ordered, which was brilliantly carried
out. The Buffs and Y. and L. on the right captured Radinghem
without much opposition, and advanced across a small plateau, 300
yards in width, towards the woods in which stands the Chateau de
Flandres. They here came under a heavy cross-fire of machine-guns and
shrapnel, and were counter-attacked and driven back. The situation,
however, was saved by Major Bayley's company of the Y. and L., which
had worked round on the left and threatened the flank of the
counter-attack, which thereon withdrew. The Y. and L. suffered
considerable casualties in this little action--Major Robertson being
killed. Meanwhile the 18th Infantry Brigade had captured E